On Tap at Monk's Cafe in a tulip glass raising money for breast cancer.

When it got to me I was graced by a nice hue of deep red, not blood red, but a nice rounded red. It could of been pink for all I know, It was dark in there. Just liquid by the time it got to me, no lacing towards the sides. Some swirls brought forth some reddish bubbles, no cling.

Smell was str8 up raspberries, it was very prominent. That's all I smelled for a while. Under that the temptation base is hard to pick out, the berries kinda mute the wine aspect, but there is some funk and a faint mineral quality. The berries beat all.

This is a mighty fine beer, on top of a already spectacular beer. Framboise for a a cure is very fruit forward, with a nice funk in the middle and a pucker quality. Some wood on top of raspberry with a faint amount of wine aspect.

Feel is a nice step below medium with a great pucker on the end of the tounge, swirling this around the mouth keeps the berries coming, very fresh beer here, I wonder what time would do to this but I would have a hard time holding it. I ordered another glass on the way out. (1,118 characters)

Pours distinct raspberry red color with a finger of light pink foam. The head fell somewhat quickly and left nothing behind. The nose is full of tart raspberries and a mild sugary sweetness. Some musty hay and acidic cider vinegar. On the palate, the raspberries are front and center. Big, bold tart raspberries rush the palate with a mild sugary sweetness in tow. Some hay and light manure-like funk come through in the middle before tart raspberries pop back up in the finish. The finish is sharp, dry, and tart. Light body with high carbonation. The raspberry flavor really lingers; your mouth is coated with fresh raspberries. A really delicious beer with loads of fresh fruit. Extremely drinkable. (741 characters)

Served in a tulip glass, poured a bright magenta color, with a small, frothy white head that fizzled out after a moment, leaving a ringlet and a few stray bubbles behind. Lots of raspberry in the nose, as would be expected, lesser notes of musty grass and citrus juice. Puckeringly tart on the tongue, fresh raspberries dominate, citric, lactic, acetic (just a bit), mild grassy funk, and a touch of woodiness. Tasty! Good balance of sour and sweet, once your palate gets used to the initial snap of tartness. Light-medium mouthfeel, very drinkable if you like sours/fruits/lambics. (623 characters)

Appearance: (4.75)Pours a positively glowing, hazy deep pink with a 2 and half fingers tall, extremely light pink head that gradually recedes down to about a a half finger's height. For a sour the head has a ton of retention.

Aroma: (4.75)As soon as your raise the glass to your nose, waves of fresh picked, ripe, juicy raspberries engulf your nostrils with soft, gentle notes of acidity. The acidity isn't harsh of overbearing; it is very clean, nuanced and really melds perfectly with the naturally lightly tart fresh raspberries. Accompanying this refreshing tartness is a balancing, rustic mustiness from the Brettanomyces and lactic acid producing bacteria; sun won leather, tangy pineapple juice, apricot flesh and damp earth. Some faint vanilla overtones from the oak barrels become apparent as the beer warms.

Taste: (4.5)Like the nose, as soon as the beer touches your palate, you're overcame with fresh, sweet, yet tart raspberry juice and very clean, almost lemon like acidity. Beneath this tartness are the soft, but funky layers of Brettanomyces that were found in the nose; old leather, damp earth, wet hay and pineapple. Just before the very dry finish, your palate is gently kissed by a lightly doughy malt presence that really highlights the creaminess taken from the wine barrels this beer was aged in. The beer finishes pleasantly tart with long, lingering overt tones of fresh, juicy raspberries, pineapple, apricots musty hay, leather and a gentle vanilla presence from the oak barrels.

Mouthfeel: (4.75)Medium bodied with firm and determined carbonation.

Overall: (4.5)This year's vintage of Framboise for a Cure was blended 80% to 20% with Russian River's spontaneously fermented sour, Beatification. The hint of the lambic, or "Sonambic" as Russian River calls Beatification, really adds a layer of nuanced funkiness that really sets it apart from the previous two vintages which utilized purely their blonde sour, Temptation as the base beer. While not Russian River's most complex of their sours, the 2013 Framboise for a Cure really harnesses the raw essence of fresh raspberries like no other beer I've had. Highly recommended. (2,218 characters)

S- All I smell is raspberries, but I'm not complaining! A tiny bit of funk, which I'm sure will pick up as the fruit fades. Not far from what I expected, pretty damn excellent.

T- A ton of rasberries, not artificial tasting, but a pretty accurate interpretation of a raspberry lambic. Pretty tart and dries out the back of the throat like a lot of raspberries do. Almost salty in the finish.

M- Very light bodied with perfect carbonation.

O- This beer was awesome! I can't wait to try it as it progresses! (644 characters)

Tasty beer but needs more raspberries to be a world-class Framboise. The sour/acid level on this beer is right at the threshold or perhaps a bit overdone, as the throat burn lingers with a good length. (716 characters)

375ml of the second batch, temptation base. Bright red, almost fuschia color, pink head that disappeared quick. Looks like a Kriek. The smell was funky, sort of fecal like manure, a hint of fruit. Flavor was sour, acidic, sharp fruit but not a distinct raspberry flavor. Overall, a good beer but not one of Russian River's best. I'd like to have tried the beatification version so hopefully that make that again. (412 characters)

This beer pours the brightest cherry red in color, a little light in body with a lot of carbonation but only a slight pinkish head. It is bright, bright red. The nose is sour and has great acidity. It features a nice balance of tart and sweet raspberry with just enough fruit. There really isn't too much yeast character at all. It drinks almost an off dry due to the presence of juicy raspberry. It is just fantastic. This is such a great and easy drinking raspberry sour. I place it at the very top, above LP Framboise. This is one of my all time favorites. (633 characters)

This is about as close to a lambic as I think RR has ever gotten. That being said, I do recall my initial impressions of Beatification being the exact same thing.

Anyways. This has a mellow and nice funky thing going on, but the raspberries really take a hold of this and throw a lot of "natural" flavor in as well. It leans towards too fruity a bit, but doesn't get overly obnoxious so much that we're entering artificial lambic territory, a la Lindemans. A treat to be able to try. And I'm glad I didn't make the trek all the way to Santa Rosa and was able to try it at City Beer instead. (598 characters)

2011 edition, bottle. Thanks Ledgers Liquors for having such an awesome selection!

Appears a rich candy red, like maraschino cherries. Head is coarse and average lived.

Smells of funky, sour raspberries. The seeds are also evident in the smell in the form of an earthy dirt note.

Taste is a strong sourness without being unpleasant. If you let the beer sit on your tongue it moves from sour raspberries to more sour raspberries ...but eventually to a slightly sweet crushed seed element. Funk evident throughout

Mouthfeel is puckering, but doesn't destroy your mouth with acidity. Sweetness keeps it incredibly drinkable. Seed aspect is incredible on all levels. Overall there are not too many other sours I've had that can measure up to this one. (751 characters)

Big thanks to KevSal for the hookup! Pours a ruby red with a nice head. Nose is blanketed with funky barnyard aroma with some citrus and raspberry. Taste starts off with a burst of raspberry citrus flavor. This moves to a funky must and mushroom. Ends nicely with some citrus sourness and a lot of raspberry. Overall, this is pretty awesome framboise. I like the funkiness and the sweetness recommended if you can snag a bottle. (428 characters)

A - Pours a hazy ruby-orange with a thin finger of frothy pinkish head. The head fades fairly quickly leaving behind a bit of lace.

S - Aroma is a mix of sweet raspberries with some tart light fruits, white grape, oak, vanilla, and some Brett funk.

T - Starts off with some tart raspberries and light fruits with some white grape, some acidity, and a bit of vanilla. Through the middle, some oak comes through with some Brett funkiness and some more vanilla. The finish is a mix of strong sour raspberries with some oak, Brett, vanilla, and white grape.

Framboise for a Cure, Russian River Brewing Company, Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California, USA. Sour Barrel aged beer with raspberries. All hopped up for the Cure 2011. "!00% of the sale of this bottle will be donated directly to the Sutter Breast Care Center of Santa Rosa." 6.5% ABV.

I've had this before, courtesy of Jason Sowards, but it was had in company of others, and as I've said before, I don't take notes while enjoying with friends. Luckily, friends Jay and Annie brought a bottle for me after their last Southern California visit, and I'm just cracking it open today.

Bright red in the glass, clear, with a blooming pink head that dissipates rather quickly.

Taste: an attack of sour right from the start. Ooo, puckeration! Ah! Refreshing, tart, and light-bodied. Sour meets sweet again and again, slaps the tongue and slides on back. Leaves the palate easy-peasy-squeezy, drops off the memory of the senses until the next sip. But oh, that next sip! More of the fresh fruity flavor, more of that great charge of sour, more depth and wildness. Ah! More of that blast of funky fruity refreshment, each time it jumps over the lips.

Nice one, Russian River, keep fighting that fight, all in the name of boobies. Hooray for boobies! (1,344 characters)

o - Overall I thought this was an awesome beer. I had heard Batch 2 wasn't that good but was pleasantly surprised by this when I finally opened it. Ton of sour dark fruits in the nose, a beer I'll certainly try and get when they brew it again. Worth seeking out. (906 characters)

A session filled with Russian River's Beatification, with raspberries, for a cure... that's today's beer scene at it's best and I'm happy to be a part of the story...

This special edition framboise pours with an eruption of lavender-colored beer that quickly separates a light pink head from the liquid. With remarkable retention and sparse lacing, the beer keeps it's foam character much deeper into the session than is expected from these low pH beers.

Mouthwatering aromas of tart raspberries, sharp lemons, limes, crab apples, and a medley of under ripened berries and cherries fill the olfactories with clean tartness, moderate must, and a lush wood-filled dusty note.

Flavors are all that but do so with capturing the flavor of the fruit and without the associated sweetness from the fruit. The clean and dry sour base is the perfect under pinning for such fruit additions that put the raspberries on prominent display it their most juicy and bright portrayal. The clean lactic sourness is met with the briny sour-salty interplay of lemon, lime, sour apples or grapes, and a musty-dusty earthiness that's reminescent of dried and decayed woods, musty malt, and pungent sharpness. Background malt notes of vanilla, cream, and almond softens the fruit and wood in a very elegant and understated way. All this complexity is delivered in such an effortless taste that it seems unrealistic to expect- but here it is.

Light creaminess to texture is quickly forbade in favor of a quick transition to clean acidity, light vinegar-like penetration, and ultimate dryness by the time the beer reaches the middle palate. But the finish of vinous tartness, mild pectin tannin, and soft bitterness leave the palate with a stripped sensation that allows for a quick return to the glass.

This framboise is all about what makes the raspberry fruit shine and what complements it in what intensity. The riddle is answered with this well controlled taste in one of the best ales of its style! (1,983 characters)

Unfortunately #25 is some what of a let down. First highly rated and highly sought after RR beer that I didn't care for. Bottle poured into sniffers and shared with my wife.

A: Pours a very bright unnatural reddish pink. Almost looks like a watered down cough syrup. I almost got some white foam upon pouring but it dissipated so fast I wouldn't call it a head.

S: Not much in terms of raspberries, has some fruit notes to it, but mostly a tart wild kind of smell.

T: I'm picturing a raspberry version of temptation just with no Chardonnay barrel. Not at all what this beer taste like. very sour very bright. Has some good flavors in it, just not the amount of raspberry flavor I was hoping for especially after what it looks like. The aftertaste if fairly harsh and thats probably why my wife ended up giving me the rest of hers. Needless to say she was very disappointed in not finding it to be more like temptation which she loves or the fruity elements of a lambic which she also loves. Maybe its because Ive never tasted Temptation before it goes in the barrel but it was hard to find it.

M: Light, bright, lowish carbonation. Thank God it wasn't syrupy or else it might have been a drain pour.

O: Pretty bummed about this beer, least the $20 went to the hospital down the street. Dunno why this is so highly rated. (1,325 characters)

Big thanks to Joe for this bottle. Shared this 2011 vintage with Jeff, Erik and Jeroen during our sour power tasting. Served just after the Hommage from 3 Fonteinen. The old-world with the sour-beer tradition, versus the new-beer world, who will win...

Look: The beer pours bright artificial reddish color with a small white head that doesn’t last long. Reminds me of the Leffe Ruby.Smell: It smells like artificial Raspberry candies, with a slight hint of sourness. Taste: I can simply copy Jeffo’s review here; sweet sugary cherry-raspberries up front, sweet raspberries in the middle and some very light sourness in the middle and end. No funk at all. Taste is very short lasting. Just like lemonade.Mouthfeel: Thin and medium carbonation, dry finish. Overall: This beer was a huge let down after the 3 Fonteinen Hommage. It is like comparing fish-sticks with freshly prepared codfish, comparing the Wageningen Ice Tigers with the Boston Bruins. It just doesn’t make any sense; it is a completely different league. If one is unaware of the greatness that is out there, one probably thinks this beer is world-class. However, in a showdown with the better ones, this Framboise for a Cure is downgraded to the fish-stick- and Wageningen Ice Tiger level .The Hommage simply did to this beer what the atomic bomb did to Nagasaki, it completely wiped it off the (beer)map. The only thing that has to be cured now is my faith in US-Raspberry sours…. (1,458 characters)

Had this one at Jeroen's place a few weeks back. Part of the raspberry showdown with 3F Hommage. Big thanks to the boys for tracking this one down, and thanks to the US trader who sent it over.

From a 375ml into a mini flute. Vintage: 2011

APPEARANCE: Pours a small, white, bubbly head that quickly vanishes. Bright red in color with next to no carbonation evident. No head remains at all and leaves no lacing down the glass. Color looks artificial, like food coloring was added. Red Cool-Aid.

SMELL: Extremely mild nose on this one. Touches of raspberries and a hint of funkiness, but otherwise, just very mild and boring.

TASTE: Sweet, sugary cherry flavor up front, which reminds me much of red Cool-Aid again. Raspberries come in through the middle with a touch of acidic sourness adding some support. A light bitterness appears after the swallow that attempts to balance out the sweet red freshie flavors. Aftertaste of sweet fruits and a touch of acidity is just too mild and short lived to be memorable. Not off putting, but relatively unimpressive, and tastes rather unnatural.

PALATE: Light body and higher levels of carbonation. Semi creamy on the palate, goes down fine and finishes slightly dry on the palate. Pretty good here.

OVERALL: Wish I could say I was more impressed with this than I was. We had this right after Hommage. That probably didn’t help. This simply looked and tasted artificial, as if something unnatural was added to get the color and flavor they wanted. The nose was simply too mild and boring to be worth noting as well. Another member of our group that day thought this was the best sour of the day, so take my review for what it’s worth. I found this to be a big disappointment, especially after having Hommage. (1,764 characters)

A - Pours hazy bright red with a really nice one and a half finger tall white head leaving little to no lace down the glass. Goes pretty dead quickly, leaving only a thin white ring of head around the outside of the glass.

T - Starts off with plenty of fresh picked raspberries slowly giving way to hints of light funk, damp earth and some lactic sourness. The sweetness is balanced well with the funk, lingering on the pallet for some time.

M - Not overly sour or funky like other wilds. Smooth body and flavor with moderate carbonation. Still plenty of pucker with some dryness.

O - I really enjoyed this one. Temptation is one of my favorite wild's from Russian River and it worked very well as the base for this beer. Awesome stuff for sure. (968 characters)

T: The tartness from the nose is present but the raspberries don't come through nearly as much. Finishs with some citrus and a bit of raspberry. Tastes almost watery after drinking a 2008 Lou Pepe Framboise two days ago.

thanks for sharing this 375 ml., Tom. well, very pink bodied for starters. A great aroma of fruit dessert. The taste came off quite well, with sourness and fruitiness. I could have easily have finished it myself if someone had not kept grabbing the bottle. Certainly worthy of RR. Good mouthfeel for a sour. (307 characters)